Review: Chase Freedom®

Chase Freedom is one of the most popular credit cards available because it has a $0 annual fee and gives up to 5% back in rewards on purchases. The Chase Freedom card also has several sign-up perks, including a $150 bonus for spending $500 in the first three months and 0% introductory APRs for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.

So it’s no wonder that Chase Freedom is such a fan favorite. There’s something for everyone – namely, a lot of savings potential. Plus, Chase Freedom approval could be a bit easier to come by than you might think. Excellent credit is recommended for high approval odds, but people with good credit, a lot of income and little debt are in the running, too.

The Chase Freedom card is not without faults, however. For example, that 5% bonus rewards rate only applies to $1,500 spent in bonus categories every three months. Those bonus categories change quarterly, too, and other purchases yield just 1% back. Freedom’s foreign transaction fee and balance transfer fee give applicants something to think about as well.

Now that you’re familiar with Chase Freedom, let’s take a closer look at its strengths and weaknesses to see whether you should submit an application.

Chase Freedom Review Highlights:

Easiest $150 you’ve ever earned. All that’s standing between you and a cool $150 is $500 in purchases during the first three months your Chase Freedom Credit Card account is open. You’re going to spend that much anyway, so why not get paid for it?

5% bonus categories offer boom-bust potential. Five percent cash back is a lot, but there’s no telling how much of your spending will qualify, as bonus categories change on a quarterly basis. You also have to sign up for the new categories each time they change. Furthermore, you’ll earn 5% on only the first $1,500 you spend in the combined bonus categories each quarter. In other words, the Chase Freedom Rewards Card isn’t necessarily as rewarding as you might think.

0% intro rate is better for purchases than transfers. The Chase Freedom Card offers 0% introductory interest rates for 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers. It’s a good deal if you’re planning a big-ticket purchase that will take months to pay off. But a balance-transfer fee (3% during the first 60 days of account opening) spoils the party for people with existing debt.

No annual fee is nice, not unique. The Chase Freedom Visa’s lack of an annual fee saves you nearly $18.61 relative to the average credit card, according to WalletHub’s latest Credit Card Landscape Report. But there are plenty of good rewards cards that don’t charge annual fees.

Learn More About Chase Freedom:

Categories
Chase Freedom gives 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent per quarter in purchase categories that change on a quarterly basis.

Foreign transaction fee
The Chase Freedom Card’s foreign transaction fee is equal to 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. That means purchases processed internationally – whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad – will cost you extra.

Phone number
The phone number for Chase Freedom customer service is 800-935-9935.

The Chase Freedom calendar is a quarterly schedule for the Freedom Card’s 5% bonus rewards, which Chase posts online and updates every 3 months. Chase Freedom offers 5% cash back on the first $1,500 spent in a new set of bonus categories each quarter. The Chase Freedom calendar shows what those categories are, along with details on what purchases apply. It also has a link to “activate” the current quarter’s bonus, which cardholders must doto earn the 5% rate.

The Chase Freedom 5% calendar is pretty straightforward and easy to use. Chase generally announces the new quarter’s bonuses during the month before they take effect. Some bonus categories repeat from year to year, as you can see from 2018 and 2019, but most don’t.

It’s important to look past the headlines, at the specifics, though. There are some details about where exactly Freedom’s 5% rate does and does not apply that you don’t want to miss.

Some of the Chase Freedom categories are very broad, and others are very narrow. On the online Chase Freedom calendar, click on the footnote next to each category to see what purchases qualify. Cardholders can activate each quarter’s bonus starting on the 15th of the month before. The last day to activate the categories for any given quarter is always the 14th of the last month in the quarter.

To activate Chase Freedom bonus categories, click “Activate Now” on the calendar and enter your last name, the last 4 digits of your card number and your zip code.

Unfortunately, Chase does not announce the Chase Freedom calendar for the whole year in advance. But there is at least a month’s notice, and Chase is very transparent about the activation dates. Just be sure to activate the bonus categories each quarter. And read the fine print to see which purchases qualify for 5% cash back.

The Chase Freedom foreign transaction fee is 3%. That means a 3% surcharge gets added to the total amount of any Freedom card transaction processed in another country. Foreign transaction fees can apply when traveling abroad or shopping online from a foreign merchant. Like Chase Freedom, the Chase Freedom Unlimited card has a 3% foreign transaction fee. But not all Chase cards charge 3% internationally. Two of the most popular Chase credit cards with no foreign transaction fees are the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve travel rewards cards.

Despite the Chase Freedom foreign transaction fee, both the Freedom and the Freedom Unlimited cards provide plenty of value when used strictly for domestic transactions. Both offer a $150 bonus for spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. There’s also a 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.

Where the two cards differ is in their rewards structure. The Freedom offers 5% back on the first $1,500 spent per quarter in rotating spending categories. In the past, that has included gas, restaurants, Amazon.com purchases and more. The card also offers 1% cash back on all other purchases. The Freedom Unlimited card offers a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

To get Chase Freedom’s 5% cash back rate, go to the Chase Freedom 5% activation page and enter your name, the last 4 digits of your card number and your zip code. You will need to activate new 5% categories for Freedom every quarter to get the bonus rate.

Chase Freedom cardholders get 5% cash back on the first $1,500 spent per quarter in select purchase categories. Purchases that exceed the $1,500 quarterly limit will earn 1% cash back. The current Chase Freedom 5% categories (for Q3 2019) are grocery stores and home improvement stores. Purchases at big box stores like Walmart and Target are not eligible. Chase has not announced the next quarter’s categories yet, but you can always check the Chase Freedom 5% calendar for updates. You can activate an upcoming quarter’s bonus categories on the 15th of the month before it starts.

Purchases that do not qualify for the 5% cash back bonus earn 1% cash back. If you spend up to the $1,500 limit, the Chase Freedom 5% cash back categories can save you $75 every quarter. Just make sure to always activate the new bonus categories, or your eligible purchases will earn only 1%. If you’re worried you’ll forget, Chase makes it easy to set up activation reminder messages and calendar alerts.

The Chase Freedom Refer a Friend bonus is $50 cash back for each friend who applies with your link and gets approved. You can get the Freedom referral bonus 10 times per calendar year, for a total of $500. To refer a friend for Chase Freedom, go to chase.com/referafriend/ and enter your last name, your zip code and the last 4 digits of your card number. You’ll get a link to share with your friends through email or social media. Then, all you have to do is sit back and let the referral bonuses roll in.

How to get the Chase Freedom Refer a Friend bonus:

Go to Chase’s referral page: chase.com/referafriend/.

Enter your last name, zip code and card number (last 4 digits).

Click “Continue,” then enter your friends’ names and email addresses.

Use the Facebook and Twitter icons to generate a referral link for social media.

Click “Submit.”

You can send Chase Freedom Refer a Friend links to as many people as you want, but you’re limited to 25 per 24hours. If someone applies for the card but isn’t accepted, you don’t get a bonus. But denied applications don’t count against your ten yearly referrals.

Chase won’t tell you if someone used your link, or whether they were approved or denied. So you’ll have to hear it from your friends. If you know you’ve earned a bonus, you should expect to wait up to 8 weeks for the bonus cash back to post to your account.

When you get Chase Freedom, activate your card by logging in to the Chase Freedom verify card page: chase.com/personal/credit-cards/verify-credit-card. You can also activate Chase Freedom by phone: 800-432-3117.

You must verify receipt of your Freedom card to activate it for use. But even then, you won’t be done with Chase Freedom activation.

Every three months, Chase Freedom requires you to activate new bonus rewards categories in order to earn 5% cash back on those purchases. If you don’t, you’ll only earn 1% back. To sign up for the latest categories, go to the Chase Freedom activate 5% cash back page. Enter your last name, the last 4 digits of the card, and your zip code. Click the green “Activate Now” button and you’ll be all set.

Here’s how to activate Chase Freedom:

Create a Chase.com account. You’ll need to provide your SSN or tax ID number, your account or application number, and the email you used for your application.

After you activate Chase Freedom, you can use it right away. The steps to activate Chase Freedom are the same as activating any other Chase credit card. No other Chase card requires you to activate quarterly bonus categories, though.

Chase says they require quarterly Freedom card activation to make sure cardholders always know what the latest bonus categories are. But that’s probably only part of it. Either way, activation only takes a minute.

Chase Freedom benefits include a $150 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months and a $0 annual fee. There’s also an introductory APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases. The intro rate for balance transfers is 0% for 15 months, and there is a balance transfer fee of 3% when you transfer during the first 60 days of account opening, with a minimum of $5. Plus, the Freedom card offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in quarterly bonus spending categories. All other purchases get 1% cash back.

But Chase Freedom benefits aren’t all about rewards and financing. There are plenty of other perks too, depending on which version of the Freedom card you have. For example, both the standard Visa Platinum and Visa Signature versions of the card offer rental car insurance. It covers you against damage and theft. There’s a roadside assistance benefit available to all Chase Freedom cardholders too. It provides towing, tire changes, fuel delivery, and lockout service for $59.95 per service call.

Both versions of the Freedom card come with purchase benefits too. There’s an extended warranty, which adds 1 year to your purchased item’s existing warranty. There’s also purchase protection. This benefit reimburses you up to $500 ($50,000 per account) for broken, lost or stolen items that you paid for with your Freedom card. All of these benefits come free with both versions of the card.

The Visa Signature version of the Freedom card adds coverage for travel-related accidents up to $250,000. It also gets you $5,000 per trip in trip cancellation/interruption insurance, along with a lost luggage benefit that pays up to $3,000 for lost or damaged bags.

Most these benefits also apply to the Chase Freedom Unlimited card. The only difference is the rewards.

There are three Chase Freedom bonus offers: $150 for spending $500 in the first 3 months, 5% cash back in specific quarterly spending categories, and a $100 referral bonus.

The bonus categories eligible for 5% cash back change every quarter. Cardholders must activate new categories in order to be eligible for the quarterly bonuses. To do so, visit the Chase Freedom activation page and click the “Activate your 5%” button. Some examples of previous categories include department stores, wholesale clubs, gas stations, drugstores and grocery stores.

The referral bonus rewards you for every friend referred who applies for the Freedom card and is approved. You’ll earn $100 (10,000 points) per referral, up to $500 (50,000 points) per year. To get started, go to the Chase Freedom “Refer a Friend” page and enter your last name, zip code and last 4 digits of your card number.

The Chase Freedom $150 initial bonus will post to your account around 6-8 weeks after you qualify. Any 5% cash back rewards earned will show up in your account on the same statement as your qualifying purchases, in most cases. Rewards for purchases made 1-2 weeks before the statement closing date may appear on the following month’s statement.

Chase Freedom also used to have an authorized user bonus. It offered $25 (2,500 points) for adding an authorized user in the first 3 months your account was open, as long as you also made a purchase in the first 3 months. That bonus is no longer available.

By the way, it’s also worth noting that while the Chase Freedom bonus rewards are advertised as cash back, they’re actually points that you can trade for cash back or travel at a rate of 1 cent per point.

You can use your Chase Freedom points to pay for purchases on Amazon.com. So instead of redeeming your rewards for a statement credit, which could be used to offset the cost of Amazon charges, you can redeem directly through Amazon without having to charge anything to your card. This minor convenience, which some might see as a gimmick, is the only Chase Freedom Amazon promotion available at the moment.

From time to time, Amazon may also be part of Chase Freedom’s rotating bonus rewards categories. Every quarter, some types of purchases get 5% cash back on the first $1500 you spend, while everything else gets unlimited 1% cash back. Amazon’s been a bonus category before. But you can’t really plan on that happening again.

Furthermore, there are a few things you should know before using Chase Freedom points to pay for Amazon purchases:

To get started, you’ll need to go to Amazon’s Shop With Points page and link your Chase Freedom card to your Amazon account. Then you’ll be able to spend your points on anything in Amazon’s extensive inventory.

1 point equals 1 cent on Amazon. That’s about the same value you get for most types of Chase Ultimate Rewards point redemption. The only times you might get more value are when you use the points with Chase’s travel partners.

You won’t earn more points when you pay with Chase Freedom points on Amazon. You’ll only earn rewards on amounts charged to your card (i.e. normal purchases).

There are plenty of non-Chase Freedom Amazon savings opportunities, too. For example, if you’re a Prime member, you can get 5% back on all purchases with the Amazon Store Card. And some Discover it cards include Amazon in their 5% bonus categories, too.

Chase Freedom rental car insurance is very good. It protects you from having to pay for repairs if you get into an accident while driving a rental car or if someone steals the vehicle. Coverage includes tows to the nearest repair shop and goes all the way up to the vehicle’s cash value as well. It’s important to note that coverage is secondary, which means you’ll have to file a claim with your primary insurance company first. The card’s rental car insurance may cover any costs not covered by the primary insurer.

The best part is, Freedom card rental car insurance is free. As long as you have the card, you have the coverage. You just have to charge the full cost of the rental car to your Freedom Card and decline the rental agency’s insurance for Chase Freedom rental car insurance to cover you.

But Chase Freedom rental car insurance is not perfect. As with any credit card’s coverage, there are some exceptions you should be aware of.

What’s NOT covered by Chase Freedom rental car insurance:

Certain types of vehicles. Expensive, exotic and antique cars are not covered. Neither are trucks, motorcycles, limousines, recreational vehicles or some vans.

Illegal activities. Coverage will not apply in cases of driving drunk, selling drugs, or if the police confiscate the car.

Other non-accidental damage. The car is not covered if it’s damaged from off-roading or you don’t reasonably take care of the car.

Injuries. Whether it’s to yourself or injuries to others, there’s no coverage.

Personal items. Coverage does not extend to loss or theft of personal items.

Long rentals. Coverage stops after 31 consecutive days for domestic and international rentals.

For the full list of exceptions, check out the Chase Freedom benefits guide. But even with the restrictions, Chase Freedom rental car insurance is some of the best rental car insurance on the market. As long as you rent a covered vehicle and handle it responsibly, you should have nothing to worry about.

On that note, knowing how to actually use Chase Freedom car rental insurance is just as important as knowing what’s covered and what’s not. So let’s take a quick look at how to file a claim.

How to make a Chase Freedom rental car insurance claim:

1. Contact Chase within 60 days of the incident. Call 1 (888) 320-9656 to report the incident to the Benefits Administrator.

2. Complete and return Chase’s claim form within 100 days of the incident. Include copies of the accident report, rental agreement, repair estimate and your Chase Freedom billing statement with the rental charge.

Chase Freedom bonus categories are the types of purchases on which cardholders earn 5% cash back, up to $1,500 spent each quarter, instead of the regular 1% cash back rate. It is possible to earn as much as $300 in rewards per year by spending up to $6,000 in the Chase Freedom bonus categories. Spending that much on other types of purchases would get you just $60. The 5% cash back categories change each quarter.

Chase Freedom bonus categories can be purchases at specific retailers or a particular type of merchant. There can be more than one bonus category per quarter, too. The Chase Freedom bonus categories for April - June 2019 are grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and home improvement stores. No further categories have been announced yet, but you can check Chase’s calendar for updates. In the first quarter of 2019, the Chase Freedom bonus categories were gas stations, tolls and drugstores.

The downside to Chase Freedom’s bonus categories is that you have to activate the new ones every quarter. The good news is it’s pretty easy to do. You can activate your Freedom card’s bonus categories online, by email, by phone or at any Chase Bank location. Plus, cardholders with Chase checking accounts can activate through an ATM. As long as you activate by the end of the quarter, you’ll get 5% back for all qualifying purchases retroactively.

The categories can have exclusions. For example, 5% back on gas station purchases doesn’t apply to places that don’t specialize in fueling cars, like a boat marina. Plus, earning rewards will depend on how a merchant is categorized, which isn’t under Chase’s control.

3.8 out of 5

I am very happy to have this credit card. I applied for this credit card with a credit score of 690 (TU). My credit history was just 1 year of age. I thought I might not be approved but I was wrong. They approved me with a CL of $8000. After spending $500 in 3 months I got a $150 bonus and I also added authorized user. I got a $50 bonus for that. I am very glad that I followed the referral link of my friend to apply for this card. Using a referral makes you more trustworthy to chase for approval. I am sharing the link to help you guys Earn $150 bonus with Chase Freedom. https://www.referyourchasecard.com/2a/PJ2H07P8Y4

My husband's Chase Freedom accounts are old and do not have rewards. His credit score exceeds 810 and yet, his APRs are more then 29%. We only keep them to occasionally take advantage of the balance transfer offers and because we know his score would drop slightly by cancelling the accounts. We just make sure that we never carry a balance subject to that horrendous APR.

Didn't deliver on promotional balance transfers as advertised in very costly ways. Try to imagine anyway your use of credit might temporarily go up significantly (on any credit cards), such as for finishing a home improvement project before refinancing your house, or for the cost of repairs before trying to sell a car or your house. Chase will reduce your credit limit without any email, text, or phone call warning you.
Chase will even freeze your card late one night while you are traveling; right when you have to change a flight; or if you have to extend a hotel stay for a week on a business or mission trip; or when you must rent another car because of a missed flight or an extended trip -- again without any email, text, or phone call warning you.
If cancer strikes a loved one, and your bills temporarily mount up, Chase will be the first credit card company to cut your Credit Limit severely, with no warning even if you have never been late on a payment, and even if you have home equity enough to draw on to cover those increased bills.
After doing all of the above, with no remedy to you, Chase will also be the LAST credit card company to restore your Credit Limit, and the last to restore to you the privilege to make Balance Transfers to pay off higher interest credit card debt with low promotional offers from Chase.
BUT, if you do get to utilize a Balance Transfer Offer, Chase service people tell you "any amount paid over your Minimum Balance Due will go toward all your higher interest purchases first, and then toward our promotional balance," which sounds optimal, but Chase people don't tell you that if you charge $4,000 in purchases in a month, AND you then make a $4,000 payment RIGHT AFTER those charges post to your account, so you don't forget or spend that cash elsewhere, Chase will apply the $4,000 toward your 0% promotional balance, and then begin charging you interest on the purchases you made for the month even though you paid them off as soon as they posted to your account. Will they correct this? Heck No!
American Express, Citibank, Discover, US Bank MasterCard, etc. have never pulled any of this crap on me, but Chase did and Chase is the card I've had the longest. "The customer is always right," means nothing to Chase, nor does customer loyalty.

DO NOT GET THIS CARD. We maintained a fairly low balance, then when we made a $2,000 payment the money exited our checking account but payment credit was held up by Chase because "it was more than half our balance." We were told nothing of this. Zero communication. Then when my wife went to check out of a hotel on a business trip the card was declined. Problem. Embarrassment. Flight potentially missed. When I got on the line with the Chase agent, they insisted they had to personally call my bank to double-check on the funds--even though the payment went through to Chase 6 days ago. Nonsensically, if we had put $1,000 on the card instead of actually paying Chase more money, the payment would have gone through with no problem. Chase made no effort to do anything aside from explain their previously invisible policy to me. DO NOT GET THIS CARD. It will leave you embarrassed and in a fix at the worst possible moment.

This is also one of my frequent users, love the 5% and choices to use points for, They have been a good bank to deal with as far as my 2 accounts go, the problems are their policies on CLI and APR reductions that is where Chase fall behind AMEX and Discover...A few changes could be winners for them.....
I did have the pleasure of dealing with the fraud dept on this card as someone use it to order tickets,,I had to deal with them 3 times to get them to realize it wasn't my useage... They cleared it up and we went back to being friends....lol
As far as the freedom card goes I do love it and recommend it to others....

I already for 20 yrs plus have been using chase visa credit card. They're okay but today, I got inconsistent information from yesterday and today. So I don't have to go looking for the best credit card services, maybe somebody can tip me off. I have excellent credit. I want to change my primary credit card. When I have the time, I will. Chase customer service and fraud operations wasted too much of me and my golden retriever's time 2 days consecutive. I don't have that kind of time to listen to BS.
DISCREPANCIES, inconsistencies. ...

They give me a high spending limit and it really comes in handy when I have to pay some bigger bills. The rewards are not always relevant to me but when it is the right quarter for benefits this can be a very useful card. I haven't had any problems with customer service and I will continue to use this card.

I got a Chase freedom card because I have been using the Chase bank for a few years now, and they are really easy to use. i get notifications when I have a low account balance, and I can withdraw a lot of money at one time. They pay my bills for me when I need them to, and I also do not have to worry about a whole lot of unnecessary fees or annual costs. The main thing that I do not like is that if my account goes into the negative and I do not pay it on the same day, I will be charged a late fee of 34 dollars. This is a lot of money to me, and I think that it is too much. If this fee were gone, or less, I would recommend this card to my friend, but since it is so much, it makes it difficult to use the card and like it. The customer service is always great, and it is very useful for the people who need and use the card. It is designed well, and works well too.

This credit card was my first credit card which I applied for in my life. I originally applied for it to start building credit at a young age and have had it for many years. I was approved for a generous limit initially that has since went up and would definitely recommend it to anybody looking to get their feet wet. Chase customer service is superb. I have lost my card and also had fraudulent charges placed on my account due to losing my information buying things on the internet and Chase was very quick to replace my card and freeze my account while they took care of the fraud charges. Overall I have had a great experience. If I could improve one thing it might be the rewards program. It is certainly not as good as some other cards out there but they do offer promotions where you get extra points buying certain categories of products like gas, groceries etc.

I got this card because they were having a special bonus deal where you earn $200 back after you spend $500 in the first 3 months. Who doesn't want to be given $200 extra bucks?? I love the fact that I got to go 15 months without getting charged any APR, it seems like most credit cards only give you a year, so those three extra months was nice. They don't charge an annual fee, which is great. The only thing I can think of that could improve is giving more bonus categories that can earn you more money back. I've never had to use customer service for this card, but I would assume that it would be just fine. I've had no issues using this card and I would definitely recommend it to others, and already have!

I've had a great experience with Chase Freedom. I'm a frequent shopper and the cash back bonuses I can accrue are wonderful. They occasionally have higher cashback days/months, or with specific sites and many of them have been ones I already use. I find that its fees are easier to handle than with other cards I've used. Overall, I love the service and would recommended it to others seeking a credit card.

The Chase Freedom credit card is one of the best cards out there in terms of rewards. Not only do you earn 1% cash back on ALL of your purchases, but there are also specific categories you can earn all the way up to 5% back on. The increased percentages are on purchase categories that are staples like groceries and gas so it's not some obscure things that have no practical use and just sound good to say. I've never seen another credit card that offers 5% cash back on ANYTHING! 5% back is really good, almost like an investment sort of. You are also eligible for some huge benefits by switching over to Chase Freedom like getting $150 back after spending $500+ the first three months of opening an account. This is the reason I switched over from my previous card to Chase Freedom. I've never personally had any issues with this card whatsoever so I can't speak to the efficacy of the customer service if and when problems arise, but being that Chase is a large well known bank I feel like I am in good hands in that regard. I most definitely recommend people switch over to the Chase Freedom card. The one thing I would change, if anything, is I wish there were ways to opt out of the smart chip. I don't trust smart chips.

A bit over 3 years using my Chase Freedom card, and the bonus's/reward's have all been very pleasing and lived up to my initial expectations when choosing this credit card! The rate has stayed steady and acceptable, and the online services provided, really simplify everything, and create one less frustration for me to deal with every month!!

I got this card because I was just in the process of doing a balance transfer from a high interest Discover card. Absolutely no regrets! This card had a very easy and a very cheap transfer fee and it also provided some cool incentives with it's cashback rewards program. I also received the card very quickly after filling out the painless application. I've had the card for a couple of years now and it's still one of my go to cards!

Chase is usually a great company to do business with and this card proves that. Fees are low, and they gave me a nice bonus for signing up. I feel like the APR can be found better on some other cards, but I'm happy because of the customer service Chase provides and they don't seem to be hiding anything ever. Great service overall!

I have enjoyed this card from the very start of getting it. I've had it for four years and I use it sparingly now, but it used to be my daily card. The feature that most impresses me about the card are the bonuses. I really enjoyed the $500 bonus after the first three months of using the card. It really came in handy with my spending. This card is excepted virtually anywhere. I traveled with this card to many states and never had a problem. I would definitely recommend it to friends and family. Not only did I recommend it but I also added a family member for the $25 bonus that they offered for the first authorized user. I've only had to call customer service a few times that they were always very helpful and nice.

I got it automatically after being a member of Chase for almost 4 years. I like the card because although its simple, it gives decent rewards. I get 1% back automatically and every few months, it will give me 5% back based on changing categories. Best is when I get 5% back on Amazon, as I use Amazon.com constantly! They also raised my credit limit by $1,500 a few years back, which really helped me out a lot. Customer service is good and they caught thieves using my card before, refunded my money, and gave me a new card without me even realizing what happened! It's a good, basic card. Nothing fancy but very reliable.

I started with the Chase Freedom card as it was recommended to me from my bank. It has a lot of advantages including 1% cash back on every single purchase. It also has multiple ways to earn higher cash back and bonuses with money spent. It has no annual fee and has smart chip technology making me feel more secure about my credit. I would definitely recommend this card to others. I've only had to deal with the customer service department once or twice but I remember their service being adequate. Not exceptional but nowhere near lacking either.

A bit over 3 years using my Chase Freedom card, and the bonus's/reward's have all been very pleasing and lived up to my initial expectations when choosing this credit card! The rate has stayed steady and acceptable, and the online services provided, really simplify everything, and create one less frustration for me to deal with every month!!

The Chase Freedom card is great. I've had this credit card for several years and I never had an issue yet. The customer service is good. The credit card provides great bonus points where you can earn points on every dollar you spend. Then you can use these points to get a gift card to Amazon or any other store. If you do not want a gift card, you can choose to get money deposited into your bank account. It's really nice because it's like bonus money. Also, every few months they have special categories where you can earn extra points depending on where you shop. It's really nice. The web site is also top-notch. They also have a great app you can use on your phone to check your balance. It's very user-friendly. I would highly recommend this card. There is also no fee to have this card, so that's a huge advantage of this card over others.

The reason why I decided to get a Chase Freedom credit card was because of my dad. He has a Chase Business card for his business and he said they are a really great card. I really like the fact that this card has bonus incentives and also the APR is 0% for the first 15 months. It is hard to find a card like this nowadays. I think the only thing I would improve on is the cash advance fee. I realize that it is 5%, but when you need cash in a hurry it really seems to add up. I am very impressed with Chase customer service. They seem to be very friendly and helpful. I never have an issue when I have to reach out to them. I would definitely have to recommend this card to anyone who is looking to get a low APR card. It is really great!

Have had a great experience with this credit card. Got a nice sign up bonus after spending over $500. Fees are not high, interest wasnt crazy. I have had bad experiences with a lot of cards but havent discovered any sneakiness with this card

This was the first credit card I ever signed up for, and I feel it was a perfect first choice. This is a fantastic cash back rewards card. This card offers 1% cash back for every purchase made on the card, no matter what. However, there are also categories that qualify for 5% cash back that change every quarter, and these categories are usually something very general that just about everyone qualifies for, such as gas, Amazon, grocery shopping, or Starbucks. Cashing in rewards is easy, too. Every 100 points is worth $1, and you can cash out to a bank account of your choice or receive a check in the mail.

I just got it because I needed a credit card, it's been so long I can't really remember more. They do have some cash back offers which are good. Overall I'm not pleased though because the rate is so high (29.9%.) After having the card for years, I called them with a credit score of 810 and minimal balance, and they refused to lower the interest rate. To me this is an example of how credit card companies take advantage of consumers. Other than this, I haven't had any specific problems with it.

I initially got the card because Chase was doing a promotion that I would get a $300 credit if I spent $1000 in 3 months. This seemed like an absolute deal since its essentially $300 for free. Now that I've used it for the past 3 years, I would love to see the quarterly 5% cash back items stay on more useful topics (i.e. restaurants and grocery stores). When I get 5% cash back only at stores I don't shop at, I feel jipped and look towards my other cards instead. Overall, I would definitely recommend this card to my friends. The occasional 5% is great and the 1% cash back on all things is standard but a nice touch regardless. The few times that I had to contact customer support, my call was always answered within 10 minutes and I got everything resolved very fast.

I'm actually a pretty big fan of rewards cards now. Being able to actually have one in my name is a reward in and of itself, for completing the process of pulling myself out of a deep credit hole. I chose the Chase Freedom card after a lot of deliberation and found that it offered the best array of rewards and, as someone who uses my credit card to build my credit more than to buy things I can't afford, I found myself enjoying my bonuses rather rapidly and the cash back options kind of pour in as a result. I've never really had any trouble using the card, paying the bill online, etc. A positive experience all in all, and definitely worth considering if you're in the market for a rewards credit card.

One of the best in class for rotating categories. Highly comparable to the Discover it, but because it is on the Visa network it's accepted everywhere.
The card usually comes with very good cash bonuses and 0% intro APR.
The account can be managed along with other Chase products in one single website.
No annual fee makes it a good candidate to add to your credit card portfolio.
Not good for traveling due to their 3% foreign transaction fee.
Discover and Capital One products offer better customer service.

Have been a Chase customer for decades and I charged a fortune on the Freedom card and always paid my bill down to zero. However they refused to work with me on a $161 interest charge when I was a few days late on payment once. They were more interested in moralizing about "fairness" than keeping my business and when I told them they lost a good customer they didn't seem to care. I've never had a credit card behave this way and will no longer be using the Freedom card.

I was extremely satisfied with this Chase Freedom Card. I love bonuses! And this one offers the best bonus and rewards! Spending Five-hundred dollar on my first three months, I received A hundred-fifty sign up bonus! And looking forward to get more rewards. Overall, this card deserves a two thumbs-up and a four-star so far. I will make it a five-star sooner or later. We'll find out soon. ;)

The Chase Freedom card sets a high standard. I received a $150 sign up bonus (after spending $500 in 3 months). During this past Christmas season they also offered 10% cash back from Amazon. Which means that for the approximately $1000 I spent at Amazon, I received $250 cash back. When coupled with the lack on an annual fee and 0% APR for the first 15 months, it's a hard card to beat. The reward categories/merchants do change quarterly and are normally 5%. For Jan-Mar it's gas stations & Apr-Jun is grocery stores. Far better than some of the categories that competing cards offer.

I absolutely love this card. Using it is always a pleasure with all of the cash back options it offers including the rotating 5% cash back and the 1% cash back. In addition with the 0% APR during the first 15 months it makes using this card a pleasure. The customer support system at Chase is an absolute dream. They are able to quickly sort out any issues/problems that you possibly have had. Overall it's a wonderful card with many positive features that I would happily choose again and again.

I've had my Chase Freedom now for about 5 years. I use the card for all of my personal purchases. I love the fact that there are different categories for cash back rewards that change every quarter. I'm only rating this card 4 stars because I wish they would let you personally choose the categories you want for the 5% Cash Back instead of them choosing it for you. Often times, some of the categories they offer are things I don't usually purchase. Still, regardless of that, I get 1% on everything else and I'm pretty happy with that. I have earned a lot of cash back already and am looking forward to earning so much more in the future.

This is the best credit card I have ever used. The APR is 0% for the first 15 months. I love the rewards you could earn with this card. We buy literally everything with this credit card and we always shop where we can get 5% rewards and then the 1% in addition to that. We have made as much as $70 in reward money in one month. The rewards never expire, so we can let them build up as long as we want to. Over the course of a year this is better return than I can get investing in a CD or savings account!

I look forward to using this credit card because I am a shopaholic and I love the fact that it has Purchase Intro APR and Transfer Intro APR 0% for 15 months. And it has none MAX PENALTY APR . The Chase Freedom Card maximum late fee is only $37. I will be able to earn $150 while spending on my first 3 months. So i'm really looking forward to start using Chase Freedom Card.

I have been using my Chase Freedom card for a little over 4 and a half years now, and I can honestly say that I love and trust my Chase freedom card. There have been little to no problems so far, and if I do have a tiny problem, then all i have to do is call up my local Chase bank, and they will solve the problem in no time. They are very fast and efficient, and I always enjoy doing business with them. I am very happy and satisfied wit the whole service, and will continue with them in the future.

I have had my Chase Freedom card for about a year and I'm quite pleased with it. The intro APR at 0% is to be expected, but what I really liked were the rewards you could earn with this card. If you shop only with your credit card, you can earn so much back. I always like to shop where I can get 5% rewards and then the 1% on top of that really helps. I also like that rewards don't expire, so I can save up for an entire year or even years if I wanted to for a vacation or a big purchase item! And no annual fee also makes this card a good deal. I'm definitely satisfied compared to my old card.

Freedom was one of the most exceptional designs of prepaid cards that i have very used.It considerably increase my liking to wards varieties of design cards and I'm grateful for the card designers for giving such a great opportunity to become a part of it in the list of members using the card.

I got this card about a year ago. The 0% APR for 15 months was pretty awesome because I got it around Christmas time last year, I was able to use it for all my Christmas shopping. I also got 100 dollar bonus which was really awesome. I like the rewards categories also, there is alot of stuff my wife likes so it keeps me happy. All in all , this is a great card and I couldn't recommend it enough.

I really enjoy this card but it is not my "go to" card. It all depends on which rotating purchases provide the most rewards. If gas or groceries are up for a greater cash back than my other cards, then I will obviously use it. Unfortunately that is not always the case so I find myself utilizing a different card for those purchases. The initial bonus is nice if you can afford to reach it. I'll never turn down $100 for things I am buying anyway! This is a great card, but you really have to watch the rotating rewards.

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Last updated on: September 9th, 2019 at 12:57

Ask the Experts

To help people learn more about Chase Freedom Credit Card, WalletHub's editors posed the following questions to a panel of experts. You can meet our panelists and read their responses below.

What type of person should consider a credit card with rotating quarterly categories?

Is it generally better to have one credit card with rewards and 0% introductory APRs, or a rewards card and a 0% card?

Why aren’t there as many advertisements for the Chase Freedom Card as there are for many other popular credit card offers?

We work hard to show you up-to-date product terms, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee its accuracy. When you click "Apply Now" you will be directed to the offering institution's website. In addition, keep in mind that actual rates and other information may vary for a number of reasons including the applicant's' creditworthiness and differences between an individual's situation and the criteria/assumptions used to generate the information displayed. Before submitting an application, always verify all terms and conditions with the offering institution. Please let us know if you notice any differences.

Ad Disclosure: Offers originating from paying advertisers are noted as “Sponsored” at the top of this page. Advertising may impact how and where offers appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). At WalletHub we try to present a wide array of offers, but our offers do not represent all financial services companies or products.

Irrespective of whether an offering institution is a paid advertiser, the presence of offer information on WalletHub does not constitute a referral or endorsement of the institution by us or vice versa. Furthermore, offers have not been reviewed or approved by the offering institution. Information is displayed first and foremost to help consumers make better decisions.

Editorial Disclaimer: Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the issuer. In addition, it is not issuer’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.